Planning, Family Dynamics and Education

Creating a Shared Family Vision

Our Planning, Family Dynamics and Education professionals are experienced in helping ultra-high-net-worth families foster effective communication and develop strategies designed to preserve wealth across generations. We work with you to clarify the underlying dynamics of your situation and create plans that reflect your values and priorities, and engage, encourage, and educate future generations who will carry on your family’s legacy.

Managing great wealth is not just about the numbers. We strive to ensure your plan is in line with your family's values and builds a lasting legacy.

The Abbot Downing Difference

Dedicated Focus

You receive ongoing support from experienced planning professionals and family dynamics and education specialists to help you manage the full impact of your wealth. Our skilled team, with PhDs and other advanced degrees in planning, psychology, and education, focuses solely on addressing complexities for ultra-high-net-worth families. This dedicated focus enables us to draw upon insights and experiences to help you ensure a meaningful legacy for future generations.

Custom Solutions

We ask questions. We listen. We get to know you. Then, we design and help you implement plans to meet your unique needs while ensuring coordination with your other advisors.

Invaluable Resources

Because a legacy is more than wealth left behind, you receive access to historians, archivists, and librarians from the Wells Fargo Family and Business History Center who help you understand, preserve, and continue your family’s legacy. We invest in understanding the most important elements of your family or business history to provide insightful advice and solutions to help shape your future.

Abbot Downing Clarity and Family Insights are signature services that provide a comprehensive view of your financial situation as well as an understanding of your family’s history, values, and vision. This foundational knowledge helps provide enhanced communication, actionable plans, and solutions that align with your goals.

Risk Assessment and Management

Insightful discussions, led by experienced Abbot Downing professionals, help to uncover your personal and family risks. This process results in the development of proactive risk management solutions.

Legacy Planning

Legacy planning creates an individual and shared vision for the future. We draw from your family’s history, strengths, and values to ensure your lasting legacy while supporting family continuity.

Family Wealth Education

Custom educational forums and family meetings help ensure that beneficiaries are prepared to manage family wealth and understand the values associated with its creation. Family members develop the knowledge and tools needed to continue your family's legacy.

Communication and Family Governance

By building a framework for family governance practices, we can help you make decisions based on a shared family vision and agreed-upon guiding principles, communicate values effectively, and develop family leaders and mentors.

Family Enterprise Planning

We deliver custom solutions to help you achieve a more cohesive wealth management strategy that addresses the needs of your family and your family business. Our approach incorporates an understanding of the multigenerational family enterprise while addressing the needs of numerous stakeholders, including family members, business associates, and the community.

Financial and Wealth Transfer

We deliver dedicated financial and wealth transfer planning support. Our team develops and coordinates implementation of effective solutions that consider the impact of significant wealth, including tax, insurance, financial, and other evolving implications. Our facilitated discussions with key stakeholders consider your current estate plans, identification of gaps and goals, a charitable giving vision, and actionable strategies to help you achieve desired goals.